2008 Woodie Awards
Opinion: Dont compare games of old to those of the next gen
Yun Yang
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: Opinion
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To have played some of the first video game systems is a bragging right of every gamer: "I owned an Atari 2600," or "I used to play the first Nintendo."
It's as if playing Pac-Man on a 4 graphic system entitles us to greatness.
But playing some of the newer games these days doesn't receive the same sort of respect.
"Video games these days suck" is a comment commonly thrown around by gamers in a bad mood.
"'Duck Hunt' is so much better than 'Halo.'" they say.
Well now, 'Duck Hunt' was released when most of us were children, so perhaps those who think this are growing out of video games?
"No way!" is the quick response. "The games back then were obviously superior."
Yet, few children, used to playing 'Time Crisis 4,' will want to shoot at ducks with a Nintendo Zapper.
There is a certain nostalgia that lets us enjoy those old games, and we jump back into the carefree days of childhood.
Today's games have a much more cinematic approach, complete with dialogue, cutscenes, storyline, and complex gameplay. It is a far cry from the games of old where the gamer only needed one or two buttons and a joystick.
And with all this complexity, it is easy to get wrapped up in the details and forget the purpose is to have fun.
But that does not necessarily make today's games bad.
You can accomplish so much more in 'Grand Theft Auto,' than you could have ever done in "Super Mario Bros." "Prince of Persia" today completely outranks the "Prince of Persia" of old.
Granted, some of the older games represent the greatest moments in gaming history.
But if you appreciate modern games for what they try to do, who knows, maybe you'll have as much fun as you did when you were a kid.
Take it from me, someone who owned an Atari 2600.
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